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Doctors of Darkness #4

Shadows Among Us

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Evil is closer than you think.

Psychologist Mollie Roark had it all. A hotshot husband, a beautiful daughter, a successful career, and a fancy house on the Napa hillside. She'd finally made it. Left her troubled past and her crazy father far behind her.

But two years ago, the unspeakable happened. Her daughter's burned body turned up on the shores of Lake Berryessa just days after her fifteenth birthday. The police seem certain Dakota fell victim to the Shadow Man, the prolific serial killer who had terrorized the Napa Valley for two decades. Mollie's normal life is now anything but. Childless, divorced, and unemployed, she's barely staying afloat. She's got one mission. To find the scumbag who killed her daughter and make him pay.

When a mysterious old man shows up at her door seeking absolution and promising answers, it's impossible to resist. But the deeper she goes inside his mind, the shakier her sanity becomes. Everyone is a suspect. No one is innocent. Because Mollie knows evil may be as close as her own shadow.

361 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2019

357 people are currently reading
455 people want to read

About the author

Ellery A. Kane

17 books442 followers
Forensic psychologist by day, novelist by night, Ellery Kane has been writing--professionally and creatively--for as long as she can remember. Just like many of her main characters, Ellery loves to ask why, which is the reason she became a psychologist in the first place. Real life really is stranger than fiction, and Ellery's writing is often inspired by her day job. Evaluating violent criminals and treating trauma victims, she has gained a unique perspective on the past and its indelible influence on the individual. And she's heard her fair share of real life thrillers.

Ellery lives in the San Francisco Bay Area of ​​California, a picturesque setting that provides the backdrop for many of her novels. If you don't find Ellery interviewing murderers behind prison walls or pecking away at her latest novel, she is probably at the gym landing a solid jab-cross to a punching bag; riding bicycles with her special someone; or enjoying a movie the old-fashioned way--at the theater with popcorn and Milk Duds.

Ellery was previously selected as one of ten semifinalists in the MasterClass James Patterson Co-Author Competition and is the author of the Doctors of Darkness, Rockwell and Decker, and Legacy Series, with two standalone thrillers from Bookouture coming in 2022.

If you'd like to receive a notification when new books are released, please sign up for Ellery's newsletter at ellerykane.com. Ellery also signs e-books on authorgraph.com.

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5 stars
248 (53%)
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141 (30%)
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61 (13%)
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8 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
Profile Image for Cathy .
291 reviews12 followers
August 31, 2019
Shadows Among Us by Ellery Kane
First off I have to say that I am a HUGE fan of Ellery's writing and especially her Doctors of Darkness series! This book did not disappoint in any way, the characters were fleshed out and relatable and leave you feeling like you know them and are there in the story. What a story it is! Dakota is a teenager who sees something that she cannot unsee and it leaves her feeling that she cannot tell her mother Mollie, Mollie is going through serious stress of her own with her husband and her father who is a Vietnam Vet who has some serious PTSD... this is told in before and after point of views from Dakota's experiences. I absolutely loved reading this and did not want to put it down until I knew who took Dakota and what was going to happen to them in the end.... the end!!! Wait till you get to the end wooweee, what an ending it is! Awesome read! Cannot wait to read what this author comes up with next!
Profile Image for T.M. Payne.
Author 37 books92 followers
August 31, 2019
Book Review: Shadows Among Us (Doctors of Darkness #4)
Author: Ellery A. Kane
My Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by: Tammy Payne- Book Nook Nuts

REVIEW
I absolutely love this author's Doctors of Darkness series and book 4 puts the C in Creepy for sure and it knocks the others right out of the ballpark. If you love Psychological stories then this one will blow your mind and keep you on your toes for sure. And nothing is given away it honestly keeps you wondering who done it throughout. It will have your heart going out to the family and those who endure the pain of what this monster causes. Mollie is one strong woman although she falters now and then. A mother who seeks revenge, and a daughter who is betrayed? Or is it?
Wow-what an amazing story. I can not wait to see what this author gives us next.
Because this one could give me nightmares till then... Shadowman !!

Ellery A. Kane
Profile Image for Carrie (The Butterfly Reader).
1,033 reviews95 followers
August 20, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. It will in no way impact my thoughts.

Every time I need something this author pops up with a new book. I've been in the mood for creepy reads and then I get an email for this! I swear I think Ellery Kane can read my mind.

I've been following this author pretty much from the beginning and let me tell you, this is her best work! She improves so much every book that I'm always blown away and this one is no exception!

Mollie is so strong. I mean even after all she's been through she keeps going. I'd have lost my mind by that point. I would've totally fallen apart. So the characters are epic and flushed out as usual and that ending! No spoilers I swear but that ending was exactly what was needed for this story. The writing flows smoothly, no boring parts and the tension in some areas is palpable and delicious.

Bottom line, perfection!
Profile Image for Mehva.
1,044 reviews18 followers
January 7, 2020
I received an advance review copy of this book, lucky me as I Love everything she has written and gobbled this one up as well. plot very interesting, the main characters very relatable, while i was gripped by it the word ordinary kept coming to me, now this is nothing ordinary about this book but maybe just because it could be you or me, or my best friend that this was happening to. many important issues raised, heartbreaking and powerful
Profile Image for Linda Romer.
866 reviews60 followers
September 1, 2019
Shadows Among Us was amazing, loved it! This thriller about a serial killer will keep you on the verge of your seat until the amazing ending. This is the second book I read by this Author and her writing is amazing. I loved the characters, they have flesh, you can feel them. I really enjoyed the epilogue, I left me surmising my own ending. Very good and a lot of fun.

I give Shadows Among Us 5 stars for its twisty and thrilling read.
I would recommend this book to Thriller Fans.
574 reviews1 follower
August 29, 2019
Very haunting and tragic mystery thriller. Dr. Molly is still trying to survive her daughter's murder when suddenly everything she thought she knew comes into question. A touching scary tale of how nothing is ever as it seems.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Profile Image for Claudia.
2,986 reviews39 followers
April 2, 2022
This is the best book in the series, at least IMHO.

Mollie is a great character, her grief and sense of guilt terrible and paralyzing and yet, still the motor that keeps her going. I think having Dakota's POV was a wonderful idea. Because of this choice, we are able to follow mother and daughter's paths in the search for the serial killer who ultimately took Dakota's life, and how Dakota's investigation helps Mollie to find the truth.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was how I kept changing my mind about who was the culprit. The way in which I was lead to believe that this one or that one was the killer was superbly done and I never felt cheated.

And the ending... yeah, it's dark and terrible, but perfectly adequate to the character's arc.

I'm glad that I decided to keep listening to this series :D

Profile Image for Betsy Byrd.
214 reviews9 followers
August 12, 2021
Best one yet!

Even though it took me longer t read this one, it isn't bc of the book, I have just had slot going on with three children starting school. I believe this one is my favorite!!
Profile Image for Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews.
1,311 reviews110 followers
August 25, 2019
First, I want to thank Ellery Kane for providing me this book so I may bring you this review.

Ellery Kane’s Shadows Among Us is her best book to date. It is a must-read book. The storyline is ripped from the headlines. This is one book that must be made into a movie! It would be a blockbuster!

This book tackles a lot of important issues. This being said some of these issues may be triggers for some readers. This book focuses on mental illnesses, PTSD, alcoholism, physical abuse, infidelity, rape, animal cruelty, repercussions of sending naughty selfies, dangers of online chat rooms, accusations of sexual assault, etc.

There are a lot of references to Star Wars in this book. So, if you are a Chewbacca fan you are in luck with this one.

On many occasions I thought Ellery wrote some very lines in the book.

This is Dakota’s story and what happened to her. It is told in present day and in the days leading up to her death. It is a story unlike any story you have ever heard. It is fascinating, gripping, and for many extremely relatable on many levels. Many times, I was very scared for her and wanted to hug her.

I loved when she wrote: we all have space inside us that we keep hidden from the world, a space we protect at all costs.

85 reviews2 followers
August 22, 2019
I’ve read every stand alone Doctors of Darkness book in the series and Shadows Among Us has got to be the deepest and most jarring of them all. The writing, as always, was perfection. The characters were developed so well, I found myself hurting with them.
Dr. Mollie Roark is a broken woman after the loss of her only teenage daughter to the Shadow Man. Her downward spiral and self destruction as well as her hunger for justice and hunt for revenge, was page turning. Her crazy father, her childhood, and his past had me in tears. With the mysterious stranger and his backstory, along with some added characters who definitely added to the story, and it was one long night of reading, because I couldn’t put this book down! Do yourself a favor and read this book. It doesn’t disappoint.

*I received an advanced copy of the book and chose to review the book.
Profile Image for Hope Gerhardstein.
507 reviews
August 24, 2019
With this book I found that when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it! The characters with all their flaws and issues seem so real. Mollie, a psychologist and mother had a daughter who was murdered by the shadow man, a serial killer. I kept changing my mind as to who I thought might be the shadow man. It switches back and forth from before the murder to the current time 2 years later when we see how devastating the murder is for Mollie. She needs closure. The book is well written and has a satisfying ending. I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Ellery Kane has written another great psychological thriller.
Profile Image for Jay Williams.
1,718 reviews33 followers
March 13, 2020
Some books you are reluctant to put down when reading them. This one I was reluctant to pick up because the subject matter of the death of a child and implosion of a marriage colored the entire beginning of the story. I am happy that I stuck with it because the story was well told and fascinating. I found I could really relate to the Viet Nam veterans in the cast of characters. As the plot develops, a number of very interesting and realistic characters emerge. Some of the characters that were repulsive in the beginning become admirable, and some toxic relationships become more healthy. I received a copy of this book through Hidden Gems, my new go-to source for new and interesting books.
Profile Image for OpenBookSociety.com .
4,109 reviews136 followers
September 4, 2019
https://openbooksociety.com/article/s...

Shadows Among US
Doctors of Darkness, Book #4
By Ellery A. Kane
ISBN# 9781733670159
Author’s Website: https://ellerykane.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Mollie Roark’s life hasn’t been the same since her daughter died two years ago. Murdered. They suspect she was a victim of the local serial killer knows as the Shadow Man. The case has gone cold and no suspects have been found. Mollie was once a successful therapist, but lost her job when she failed to cope with Dakota’s death properly. Now she leads a weekly therapy group for grieving parents that she doesn’t even get paid for. Her already rocky marriage didn’t survive losing their daughter either. Her ex moved to Seattle to get away from it all.

Mollie grieves by drowning herself in the bottle and by making out in the backseat of her jeep with fellow grieving parent, Sawyer, after their weekly meetings. She spends the rest of her time obsessing over whom killed Dakota and even has her own board of suspects in her home office.

Then a strange old man shows up at her house wanting her to take him on as a therapy patient. She soon learns what a small world they live in when her patient’s past intersect with others in her life. Could his confessions lead her to finding out who killed her daughter? And, can she handle the truth of who is responsible?

I always enjoy Kane’s books. They’re always a fun romp into the life of a killer and it usually have a great soundtrack to boot! This one is full of some heavy metal favorites that include Iron Maiden and Ozzy Osbourne.

“One of my schizophrenic patients had told me heavy metal drowns the voices best.”

I have to admit that I struggled reading this one more than the other books in this series. The storyline seemed to drag at a snail’s pace at times and was a bit one-dimensional. It also flipped back and forth from the present from Mollie’s point-of-view and the past from Dakota’s.

I actually really enjoyed Sawyer. He was the perfect mix of supportive want-to-be boyfriend and fellow grieving parent with a splash of humor. Most people would not put up with Mollie’s craziness the way Sawyer did!

We did see a darker side of Mollie as well, in the chapters from Dakota’s point of view.

My favorite part of this story was definitely the ending with Mollie and her father reunited and dishing out their own kind of revenge on people!

This book did end up being an okay read, it just took a while to get to that point for me!

*OBS would like to thank the author for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
549 reviews6 followers
February 26, 2020
As with previous books in this series, this story starts off slowly and a little confusing, but stick with it. It gets exciting and suspenseful. The characters are so disfunctional, they're difficult to like. Their actions and behaviors aren't always realistic, but they are plausible and make sense within the context of the story.

Kristin James gives distinctive voices to the characters, but her attempt at a Spanish accent is a total failure. Otherwise, her performance is quite satisfactory.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Profile Image for Claudete Takahashi.
2,644 reviews38 followers
March 19, 2020
This is the first book I read by Ellery Kane and I was very positively surprised. The book covers the horrors of the Vietnam war and the mental problems caused by the atrocities seen and done during that time and at the same time develops the plot/action regarding the murders of 17 girls in a most horrific manner. It also shows the difficulties imposed on a family relationship when there is betrayal, lies and alcoholism and how a teenager deals with it. It´s interesting to see how the story develops (without being repetitive) from several angles one completing the other. It´s a sad story with a positive ending. Just loved reading it!
I received a copy of this book from the author through Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest opinion.
716 reviews4 followers
January 2, 2023
I didn't care for this book. I had a hard time staying with it. Mollie lost her daughter, Dakota, to a serial killer and she has lost everything because of that. Her husband divorced her, she lost her practice, and she really doesn't have any friends anymore. I figured out what was going on right away. This just wasn't the book for me. I struggled to read it and I had a hard time picking it up.
433 reviews3 followers
May 29, 2024
Is it a mystery, thriller or psychological drama ? Ellery Kane has it all covered in this book following two timelines, Mollie in the present and Dakota in the past showing the conflict between them and the resulting heartbreak. The ending is a fitting conclusion to Shadow Man who is responsible for what Mollie's father put her through and the subsequent collapse of everything round her. Dark story well written and good characters.
Profile Image for Cynthia A.
694 reviews
September 19, 2024
Hiding right in front of you

Dakota was murdered. She had just turned fifteen and figured out the identity of Shadow Man. He could not let her expose him.
The book represents humanity at its lowest. Her mom Mollie was an alcoholic, her father an adulterer, her grandfather labeled as crazy, her best friend Hannah spiteful, and her so called boyfriend a dirtbag. I still enjoyed reading this book.
Profile Image for Jeff.
82 reviews
January 7, 2026
A very good book. Although it is slow at times and could have been much shorter. My dad is a veteran of Vietnam. He isn't right in the head so I can kinda understand this guy's issues and relate to Mollie's childhood. Well not to such an extreme as she suffered but in general I understand PTSD from that unnecessary war.

This book might trigger some people so I advise discretion if you're suffering from PTSD.
151 reviews
March 15, 2024
Almost perfect!

The plot was intriguing. The characters were great, but all were "broken" in one way or another.

I enjoyed how the author kept revealing more and more (along with a lot of red herrings).

The book was difficult to read because there was SO much trauma, but it was a fascinating and fun read.
Profile Image for Archee Waters.
65 reviews1 follower
May 31, 2024
ellery, you've outdone yourself!

intriguing, alluring and compelling. i couldn't put it down. i had the reader on while i drove to work and back. i read during lunch! combines the elements of suspense, thriller and mystery. is it him, or him, or who??? i thought i knew again and again. you get to unravel with the protagonists. what a rollercoaster...
Profile Image for Bev.
3,272 reviews98 followers
March 20, 2020
I enjoyed reading this story. It is an emotional side to it and shows how some people struggle in a way you would never guess they do. Mollie is bound and determined to find the person who wrecked her life by killing her daughter. There are different POVs in this story, which helped the storyline accomplish what it set out to do. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Hidden Gems.
Profile Image for Amber Pickerill.
1,091 reviews6 followers
March 23, 2020
Captivating story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. A mom and daughter try to find the identity of a serial killer. Although the daughter is the killers last victim and it's up to her mom to find the killer!
1 review1 follower
March 25, 2020
Really loved Shadows Among Us

I must have started reading 6 maybe 7 books before I started reading this book and didn't stop reading it till I finished it..like the story line, the personalities what's not great about it
Profile Image for Krista.
1,246 reviews7 followers
April 6, 2020
I want to give this a 3.5. Shadows Among Us is a good story line with interesting characters. The books is told from Molly and Dakota's perspectives. I felt it moved way to slow for my taste, which made it hard for me to finish. I struggled to stick with it.
Profile Image for Michelle M.
64 reviews4 followers
July 10, 2021
The thing I love about this series is that Ellery has you guessing all the way to the end about who the killer is. This book had me hooked from the start. I would have given it more than 5 stars. Absolutely brilliant.
39 reviews
October 30, 2023
Just Read it!

I love all of the Ellery A. Kane books! This book was well written and kept me interested. I'm one of those people that if I get bored, it's over. I'll just stop reading and go to the next one. These stories I read every chance I get!
2 reviews
June 12, 2024
Absolutely riveting

I'm a picky reader, but once I start reading a book I like finish it. This was a no brainier. Once I started it I couldn't put it down. Every chapter keeps moving you forward.
Profile Image for Michelle VanDaley.
1,703 reviews5 followers
April 19, 2020
A great psycholgical thriller filled with suspense and raw emotion. This is my first read by this author and I really enjoyed the writing style. I will definitly be reading more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews

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